Urchin cull approved for Monterey reef

[MichaelMc]

Would someone who actually know something about this project explain the culling process?

Soon grasshopper, the class will reveal all soon.... Just my guess, unless someone from the core project staff is on the board.

My take from the video was if more direct methods endanger other life, move it then kill it.

I think the Q&A video mentioned that others are spawning anyway, so that may not be as much of a concern. But the class will cover that, and that secret knowledge will get out.

 

[Centrals]

How deep is the water?
Wouldn't it be better and safer if the urchins are placed into a basket and then lift to the boat with a rope?

The method we used for 1 day to remove large number of Crown Of Thorns Starfish.

 

[MichaelMc]

How deep is the water?
Wouldn't it be better and safer if the urchins are placed into a basket and then lift to the boat with a rope?

The method we used for 1 day to remove large number of Crown Of Thorns Starfish.

25' to 40' deep.

Under the authorization for this project the urchins are not removed from the water, just properly smashed to not damage other life and left as is in the water. The Q&A video suggested that a benefit of this site was that the debris from that would not accumulate in tidepools, causing other issues.

The fishing regs allow killing some things to use as bait to attract other things. That may be part of why a fishing license is needed.

 

[fisheater]

How deep is the water?
Wouldn't it be better and safer if the urchins are placed into a basket and then lift to the boat with a rope?

The method we used for 1 day to remove large number of Crown Of Thorns Starfish.

It's my understanding that the biomass of urchins to be "removed" from the ecosystem is far too large to physically haul away. Plus, it will likely be a benefit to the environment if their body parts decompose in situ.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’m curious to see what their urchin smashing hammer looks like.
I have some ideas of my own to make an urchin smashing tool that doesn’t require swinging like you would do with a hammer, which is very inefficient underwater with the resistance and all.

 

[fisheater]

Best I can tell, it’s a standard rock/geologist’s hammer.

 

[MichaelMc]

They tried several hammers over time. They picked what is apparently a welder's hammer for lightweight for accuracy with less collateral damage and less carry weight, and the spring handle gives some shock absorption for long culling sessions. From the video.

I'm not thrilled about that spike and a surf zone. That might need a cover.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

They tried several hammers over time. They picked what is apparently a welder's hammer for lightweight for accuracy with less collateral damage and less carry weight, and the spring handle gives some shock absorption for long culling sessions. From the video.

I'm not thrilled about that spike and a surf zone. That might need a cover.
View attachment 651505

A welding hammer, really?
Do you want to just poke holes in them and have to push each one off when it gets stuck on the pick end of the hammer?
Or do you want to smash them?
I was thinking more of a tamping rod with a little weight to it so you could use both hands and let the weight of the tool do the work. The end would have a thick flat round plate welded on about 2.5” - 3” in diameter. Swinging a hammer gets tiring after a few minutes especially under water.
I’m going to design and make something better.

 

[MichaelMc]

A welding hammer, really?
Do you want to just poke holes in them and have to push each one off when it gets stuck on the pick end of the hammer?
Or do you want to smash them?
I was thinking more of a tamping rod with a little weight to it so you could use both hands and let the weight of the tool do the work. The end would have a thick flat round plate welded on about 2.5” - 3” in diameter. Swinging a hammer gets tiring after a few minutes especially under water.
I’m going to design and make something better.

They seem to have a focus on conveying to fish and game that it is a precision intervention, not a crushing machine stomping across the seabed. Though perhaps different tools work well in different circumstances.

Also, the minimum skill set prior to the class is OW divers with comfort in local waters. So we are not talking masters of surge and cold water diving.

 

[Centrals]

Swinging a hammer gets tiring after a few minutes especially under water.

Does not make sense at all.
Have they tried it in the swimming pool first?
Someone will get hurt by either the hammer or the urchin.

Good luck.